Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
How epilepsy affects cats and their owners' quality of life
By Henning, Julia et al.·Published in The Veterinary record·2021·School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, Australia·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Understanding the impacts of feline epilepsy on cats and their owners.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A survey of cat owners found that cats with epilepsy, which causes repeated seizures, had a better quality of life when their seizures were well-controlled and they experienced few side effects from medication. Owners who felt supported by their veterinarian reported less stress in caring for their cats. Cats that started having seizures before the age of 5 also tended to have a higher quality of life. This suggests that effective treatment and a strong bond between cats and their owners can help lessen the challenges of managing epilepsy.
People also search for: cat epilepsy treatment · how to help my cat with seizures · cat quality of life epilepsy · owner stress cat seizures · feline epilepsy management
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Epilepsy is the most common neurological condition reported in cats. Characterised by recurrent seizures, treatment involves the administration of anti-epileptic drugs up to multiple times a day. Epilepsy and its associated treatments may impact both cats and their owners. The present study aimed to assess factors associated with quality of life (QOL) in cats with epilepsy and the burden of care in their owners. METHODS: An online survey was developed using demographic information and the following validated measures: cat QOL, Zarit burden interview (ZBI) and the cat owner relationship scale (CORS). Regression analysis was conducted using SPSS 26. RESULTS: Responses were completed by 141 owners from 22 countries. QOL was significantly higher in cats with controlled seizures, no adverse effects from medication and epilepsy onset before 5 years of age. ZBI was significantly lower in owners who felt supported by their veterinarian, who were over 55 and had cats with controlled seizures. Higher CORS was significantly correlated with both higher cat QOL and lower owner ZBI. CONCLUSIONS: Adequate seizure control and close cat-owner relationships may play an important role in mitigating the impact of epilepsy on cats and their owners. Further research into understanding cat-owner relationships and successfully controlling epilepsy in cats is needed.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34426972/